Girls on the Run Vermont Essex Celebratory 5K

At the Champlain Valley Expo, the Girls on the Run Vermont Essex Celebratory 5K feels like a season-ending team moment rather than a timed race. It concludes the spring 2026 season for Girls on the Run and Heart & Sole, where girls in grades 3-8 and gender-expansive youth spend weeks "creatively integrating movement" with lessons on confidence, friendships, and healthy choices. This is a noncompetitive run designed for kids, families, coaches, and supporters, not for pacing groups and age awards. The goal is to acknowledge each girl’s progress: speaking courageously, building friendships, strengthening personal values, and finding inner strength through physical activity. If you prefer races where the finish line is significant because of who arrives, not how quickly, this is that kind of morning.